BCCI initiates Operation Clean-Up

Pragya Tiwari, New Delhi, June 10, 2013, DHNS :

Board bans cheerleaders, after-match parties in an effort to cleanse the game

The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Monday came up with a set of proposals to “clean-up “ the Indian cricket, the Operation Clean-up.’ It included suggestions ranging from removing sleaze in the Indian Premier League to strict code of conduct for players, support staff and owners following the spot-fixing and betting scandal in this year’s IPL.

The BCCI’s interim Chief Jagmohan Dalmiya read out the pointers of the blueprint that will be discussed with the IPL captains and team owners before being finalised. There would be a stop at the cheerleaders and late night parties. Since they were already banned by the BCCI Dalmiya said they intend to ensure there were no “excesses”.

There would be restriction in movement of the franchise owners near dugouts and dressing room. The financial interests of players with other persons and organisations would also need to be disclosed to the BCCI so that it can ensure the agreement with BCCI or code of conduct had not been flouted. Franchises would also need to furnish the details of payment made by them to their supporting staff and players.

There would be no gift policy for players and their phone numbers would have to be disclosed to the BCCI before the event. The cellphones at grounds would be banned and so would be the usage of earplugs and microphones during the matches by players.

There would be “adequate” number of officials from the BCCI's Anti Corruption and Security Unit at grounds and at hotels during the tournament. The proposals also include jamming of cell phone towers at the ground during matches. The security and control policies around the team would be soon formulated.

There would be emphasis on educating programme like making the players aware about the consequences of fixing. Dalmiya said no national selector could get associated with any franchise and organisation and that IPL should be in tune with the ICC standard of Twenty20 match playing conditions.

He, however, said: “All these points need to be elaborated. There are many other points I need to discuss with players and team owners. The blueprint is almost ready and we would soon be discussing it,” he said.

Dalmiya also said the Board would look into Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s alleged conflict of interest after the team returns from the Champions Trophy being held in England and Wales.

“I don’t want to disturb the team during the Champions Trophy. I gain nothing by doing that. We have taken a note of the (Dhoni) issue, we are looking into it but we are not going to hound someone,” said Dalmiya.

Dhoni courted controversy recently following reports that he held 15 percent stake in Rhiti Sports Management, which manages Suresh Raina, Ravindra Jadeja and Pragyan Ojha, besides the Indian skipper. The company claimed that Dhoni held the shares for a brief while, and those were transferred back to the company in April after the payments to the India captain were cleared.

BCCI to plead for time

The BCCI in all likelihood will plead before the Supreme Court to give them more time to file a comprehensive investigative report on the scandals during the sixth edition of IPL.The working committee members of the BCCI were unanimous in their opinion that to do justice to the report that will be submitted to SC, they would need some more time. “Our legal counsel will request the Supreme Court to provide with some more time as the investigations haven’t yet reached it’s logical conclusion. We still need some more time before we can submit the report that has been sought by the SC,” said a senior BCCI official.

A Bench of Justice BS Chauhan and Justice Dipak Misra had last month, directed the BCCI to submit its report within 15 days and asked them to bring the errant teams and players to book on the basis of the report. “Since the SC pulled up the BCCI for its lackadaisical approach, the members feel we should have all ends covered before we are in a position to submit the report. If you look at the incidents, 15 days is not good enough time to complete a detailed report,” he said.